The Jeep Grand Cherokee could be in line for a major power upgrade for 2028, with a new report claiming the SUV may receive a twin-turbo Hurricane inline-six engine instead of the discontinued HEMI V8.
Since Jeep removed the HEMI V8 from the Grand Cherokee lineup, the SUV has been left with a single powertrain option: Jeep’s turbocharged Hurricane inline-four, producing 324 horsepower. The 4xe plug-in hybrid models are also gone, leaving the four-cylinder as the only available engine.
2028 Grand Cherokee Could Get Hurricane Inline-Six
Citing unnamed sources, MoparInsiders reports that Jeep is preparing to install the twin-turbo 3.0-liter Hurricane inline-six in the Grand Cherokee for 2028.
The reported engine would be the Standard Output version rather than the more powerful High Output variant. If the report is accurate, the setup would produce around 420 horsepower and 468 lb-ft of torque, matching the figures of the Standard Output Hurricane already used in the Grand Wagoneer.
Jeep Has Already Tested the Hurricane Six-Cylinder
Fitting the Hurricane inline-six into the current WL-generation Grand Cherokee has reportedly been a major challenge because the engine is longer than the powertrains currently under its hood.
According to MoparInsiders, that concern changed at SRT Day earlier this year, when Jeep engineers brought out a Grand Cherokee test mule equipped with the Hurricane High Output engine and an experimental eBoost Air electric compressor.
Although the vehicle was only a concept, the test mule demonstrated that the larger inline-six could fit under the Grand Cherokee’s body. The demonstration appears to have addressed the previous packaging concerns surrounding the engine.
Why Jeep Could Choose the Hurricane
Many Grand Cherokee owners have wanted Jeep to bring back the 5.7-liter HEMI, but the report indicates that is not the direction Jeep is taking.
Stellantis wants its American brands to maintain separate identities, with Dodge retaining V8 engines while Jeep moves toward turbocharged and electrified powertrains.
If the reports are accurate, the 2028 Grand Cherokee would not bring back the V8 sound associated with previous models. However, the Hurricane inline-six could provide more power, more torque and the towing capability that helped make the older V8-powered Grand Cherokee models popular.
